How to live your best life in Mallorca
Mallorca travel diary: beaches, food, and my top 3 highlights.
Hey,
I’m settled back into life in Amsterdam after five days in sunny Mallorca. I’m writing to you from my coworking space near the Amsterdam canals. It has been raining on and off all day—gotta love Amsterdam summers. I’m always surprised by how long these travel diaries take to write, but it’s nice to look back at the photos and keep a record of everything I saw and ate. Btw, this might be too long for your inbox, so I recommend reading it online here.
My boyfriend and I visited multiple beaches, ate delicious food, and survived our stay at a hotel that was packed with families with small children (plus a few cockroaches in our bedroom).
We stayed in Alcúdia, near the beach. While I wouldn’t stay in the area again, mainly because it was swarming with tourists and too commercial (for example, people selling light-up toys on the street, sangria and massages on the beach, and overpriced supermarkets), it served as a great hub to explore nearby, less crowded beaches.
The Alcúdia old town was perfect, though—nice food, good people watching, and cute boutiques. It’s a 20-minute walk inland from the beach, or a five-minute bus ride, so that was a bonus for the nights when we wanted to share a bottle of wine.
Our favorite restaurant in town was Celler Ca'n Costa. It has an old-world setting and a courtyard, but we usually fly by the seat of our pants on holiday, so they only had space for us inside. The tapas starter dish was almost a meal on its own, with a variety of small bites including Sobrasada Pamboli (a Mallorcan-style cured pork sausage spread on toast), small slices of Spanish Omelette, dates wrapped in jamón ibérico, grilled shrimp, croquettes, padrón peppers, meatballs, and a warm potato salad smothered in garlic. I was too focused on the food and forgot to take a photo, so I’ve inserted one here from a Google review.
For main dishes, we had the suckling pig—it was perfectly crisp and juicy—and the cod, which was topped with a white cheese (like ricotta), but it was a bit sweet. Not a combination I’d think of, but it was delicious!
We landed in Palma around 9 am, but instead of heading straight to our hotel, we took the long route along the west coast of the island, navigating the winding roads and packs of cyclists, stopping in Valldemossa, Deía, and Sóller. As soon as we arrived at our first stop, we used our rental car as a changing room and swapped our pants for shorts.
Valldemossa is a romantic mountain village 19 kilometers from Palma. It’s where we had our first taste of delicious Pamboli (regional tapas). We ordered the Tabla de Pan Amb Oli at QuitaPenas after roaming around town. It included pieces of bread topped with Sobrasada, Camaiot (a typical Mallorcan sausage) with Ramallet Tomato spread on the bread, Balearic cheese, and a third meat, which I believe to be a type of salami.
The small, narrow streets in Valldemosa were filled with potted plants both on the floor and hanging on the sides of the buildings. So charming.
After lunch, we drove 10 kilometers north along the coast to Deía, a small village nestled in the mountainside with stunning views of the mountains and sea. Unfortunately, we struggled to find parking and only drove through, but it’s known for its art, culture, and I just learned it’s considered the gastronomic capital of the Mediterranean. Now I’m regretting that we didn’t look harder for parking.
Roughly 11 kilometers northeast of Deía, we arrived in Sóller, another cute town with a historic tram that has been operating since 1913. We noticed it passing through the center every few minutes. We were a bit exhausted, having woken up at 4 am, so we only walked around the city center and browsed a few shops, but I hear the Port de Sóller is nice and apparently that’s where Chelsea Handler’s holiday home is. I’d love to run into her, she’s hilarious.
After Sóller, we drove another hour, arriving at our hotel in Alcúdia (at the northeast side of the island) around 5 pm. We dumped our bags in the room and sat by the pool, sipping beers and testing the water. Perfect after a long day of traveling and sightseeing.
When we finally ventured out for dinner we realized we were smack in the center of a tourist zone with overpriced supermarkets and everything but authentic Mallorcan restaurants, so instead, we ate a quick dinner of falafel wraps that were so spicy we nearly shit our pants.
Day one was a success!
My top three Mallorca highlights
What we appreciated most about the island is that it’s easy to get around by car. You can explore a new beach and a small town each day. We didn’t experience much traffic, although I suspect it could be different during the summer. It was warm at the end of May, but pleasant. Hot enough for the beach, but not so hot that you’re walking around in a puddle of your own sweat. We agreed we wouldn’t visit Mallorca in the dead of summer, but it might be nice to explore a few wineries in the fall.
1. Platja del Port de Pollença
Platja del Port de Pollença is a 20-minute scenic drive along the coast north of Alcúdia beach. We saw cyclists, kite surfers, and people fishing along the way. The area is quiet, with a few cafes and restaurants near the beach. Selling massages, food, and drinks on the beach is forbidden, so it was more relaxing and enjoyable than Alcúdia beach. There was a mix of young families, retirees, and what appeared to be kid-free couples. It wasn’t too crowded, and the water was beautiful, with mountain views.
After enjoying a few hours at the beach, we drove 8 kilometers into town, at times unsure of whether the narrow streets were one or two-way. We parked at what felt like the highest point of Pollença, in a residential neighborhood, and enjoyed the mountain views while wandering into town.
We ate dinner at La Font del Gall, a cozy Mediterranean restaurant in the center of Pollença. We didn’t make a reservation, but since we arrived early (before 6 pm), we were able to sit outside. The ceviche and spinach parcel appetizers were delicious. We wondered what “parcel” meant, but it’s essentially a puff pastry filled with spinach and the other ingredients—onions, almonds, and raisins. Tasty!
We ordered Entrecôte and Seabream as our mains. Both delicious, although if I were to eat there again, I’d go for the Seabream or I’d try a different entrée. The Entrecôte was a bit tough and chewy, at least for me.
2. Cala Sant Vinceç
Platja de Cala Clara is a 30-minute drive north of Alcúdia beach at the edge of a small beach town called Cala Sant Vinceç. “Cala clara” means clear cove, which makes sense because the water was crystal clear. K enjoyed a scuba diving refresher course while I sat on the beach, people watching and reading. There are a few overpriced restaurants overlooking the beach, but if you walk a few minutes into town, there’s a great, casual lunch spot called Bar & Restaurant Marinas. It’s not fancy, but perfect for a quick stop to fill up before you hit the beach. We both had omelets that came with potatoes and salad for €9.50.
If we visit Mallorca again, Cala Sant Vinceç is high on our list of places to stay; however, with a quick search, accommodations appear to be quite expensive.
3. Platja de San Pere
Platja de San Pere was my favorite beach. It’s small, has a local vibe, and is nestled between cliffs in a residential neighborhood with beautiful homes. The water is crystal clear, and like most of the beaches, the mountain views are amazing. There’s a small beach bar and café directly on the beach, which served as a relief from the sun for us.
The downside of this beach is that there aren’t many beach chairs and umbrella rentals available, so if you don’t arrive early, it’s best to bring an umbrella. If we visit Mallorca again, we’ll pick up a cheap umbrella as soon as we arrive—renting chairs and umbrellas for €15-20 a day adds up.
Our flight home was in the late afternoon, so we explored Palma city for a few hours before heading to the airport. I wasn’t expecting such a vibrant and bustling city on an island. We enjoyed a few tapas at Mercat de l’Olivar before roaming around town—my favorite Mallorcan tapa is Coca de Trampó, which I will be attempting to make at home. I’d love to plan a trip to Palma in the fall or winter when it’s cold and rainy here in Amsterdam. We like to try Michelin restaurants when we travel to more affordable places, so I’ve got my eye on this list.
As always, thanks for reading, and see you soon!
Alexis
Looks amazing! I’ve never been to Mallorca, but it’s very popular among Germans. We just got back from a week in Tuscany. Similar vibes.
Ain't Mallorca the most beautiful island in the world?! Next time, I recommend staying at Can Pastilla. Not too touristy, not too expensive, and just 30 minutes from Palma by public bus. Also, the town where the Indian restaurant Honey Doner Kebab Pizzería will rock your world forever!